Ophthalmic device having detachable shield



Nov. 7, 1950 E. M. SPLAINE 2,529,110

ovnmamxc DEVICE HAVING DETACHABLE SHIELD Filed Oct. 1, 1945 INVENTOR EDW/JRD M. SPLH/NE ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1950 4 EdwardM. Splaine, Southbridge. Mass g ass ignor to American Optical Company, 'Southbridge, 'Mass.', a voluntary association of Massachusetts Application October 1, 1945, serial Nc.je19,'5s3 p 8 Claims.

. 1. v This invention relates to improvementsin ophthalmic devices and more especially in eye protection devices, and has particular reference to a device embodying a transparent shield'or lens for protecting the eyes of the wearer from flying particles or the like and which transparent shield or lens mayhave embodied thereinmeans for varying and controlling the light transmitted thereby. This invention .an improvement over that disclosed by copending application No. 568,282, filed December '15, 1944, now Patent 2,472,731, dated June 7, 1949 and entitled Ophthalmic Mountings.

"One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which is light in weight, durable and which has its shield or lens supporting parts detachably secured to the shield or lens and located above th useful field of vision of the wearer. Another object is to provide a device of the above character having a detachable shield or lens'portion which may be formed of initially flat sheet plastic material defining two lens portions supported by a reinforcing bar curved to conform substantially to the contour or curvature of the face of the wearer and being of sufficient rigidity to retain the shield or lens substantially to its curvature when said bar and lens are in assembled relation with each other. Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character having a reinforcing bar curved to conform substantially to the curvature of the face of the wearer and a shield or lens portion formed of sheet plastic material defining two lens portionsand detachably supported thereby so that it may be replaced by another shield'or lens portion of different light transmitting properties when desired or replaced by a similar shield when the original is scratched, broken or otherwise damaged.

Another object is to provide a shield or lens and supporting bar of the above character to which temples may be connected and having an intermediate thickened portion functioning as brow engagement means for retainin the shield or lens properly spaced relative to the eyes of the wearer.

Another object is to providea shield or lens, formed of sheet plastic material defining two lens portions and having a nasal recess in the lower edge thereof, in combination with a brow engagement and reinforcin bar and a nose engagement member each'having a grooved portion adapted to receive an adjacent edge portion of the lens and to be readily detachably secured to said lens by suitable attaching means.

Another object is to'provide a reinforcing bar of the above character "having a recess and grooves extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to receive adjacent end edge portions of the shield or lens and-'in f-which the *len sis detachably secured by-suitableme'ana v position with the brace bar.

Another object is to provide a brace bar of the f=Another 'objectisto provide a brow engagement bar or brace -bar'of' the above character having a recess orchannelled portion formed therein for-reducing the-weight of the bar and for detachably receiving a portion of the shield and allowing flexing thereof while the shield is being fitted-to or removed from its assembled above character having perforated lug portions adjacent the opposed ends thereof to which temples may be pivotal-1y connected and relatively fixed or integral pins or lugs adjacent the ends and also intermediate the ends for detachably' receiving and securing adjacent perforated or apertured portions of the shield or lens in assembled position. 7 Another object of the invention is to provide abrowengaging or-reinforcing bar, a shield or lens-anda nose engagement member which are easily and readily attachable or detachable from each other without requiring theuse of tools, special equipment or small parts which are difficult to handle and liable to become lost while one-lens isbeing replaced by another. 7

Other objects and-advantages of the invention will become apparent-from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and it. will be apparent that many changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed-in the accompanying claims. The invention therefore is not to be limited to the exact details of construction and arrangement of partsshownand described as the preferred form only has been given by way of illustration. Referring to the drawings:

a Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the device embodying the invention;

1 Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the device of Fig. I

but with nose engagement member removed.

therefrom; v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig.1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing certain parts of the device of Fig. l-in assembled-position;

a Fig. 5 isafrontview showing certain parts 0 likeparts throughout the several views, the de-- v-ice embodying the invention comprises a sheet of -transpa-rent material 5 shaped to providea sea of integral shield orlens portions 6 and a nasal recess 1 in thelo'wer edge thereof as shown methacrylate, or any other known transparent; artificial resinous materials or may be formed of sheet plastic material sold under the trade name;

The said integral shield or lens v The sheet material li irr- -thevicinity of the nasal recess 1,"is=1provided,:as bIest'is'hown-in Figs. -1 and 5, with shouldered portions 22 adapted to receive the ends 23' of a detachable nose engage-' Polaroid and may have any desired light absorbing characteristics or color obtained by using proper light absorbing dyes. incorporated within the plastics or artificial resinous material or by incorporating therein means for absorbing inthe extra Visual regions.

The integral shield or 'lens portion 6 is provided with an upper curved edge 8 adaptedto fit within a pair of relatively narrow laterally. spaced slots orrecessed seats 9' anda somewhat wider central slot or recess Ill formed longitudinally of areinforcing bar or support H. The bar or support I] may be formed ofany suitable material, preferably moldable plastic material, such as for ex ample, cellulose acetate, methyl methacrylate or other known artificial resinousmater-ials or may be formed of cellulose nitrate orthe like dependingupon the nature of the material used for the shield or lens portion. The sheet material 5 is removably secured within the longitudinalslots or seats 9 and recess Iii by means of detachable connections I2 located near the opposite ends of the bar ll and by a detachable connection 13 intermediate the ends of the bar. Each connection 12, as best shown in Fig. 4, comprises a relatively fixed or integral pin or lug I4 arranged to extend transversely through an end portion of the bar I I, traversing the slot ii and thusproviding an intermediate bearing portion Hi for engagement by a perforation or slot [5 formed in the lateral or end edge portion of the shield 6. The connection l3'is preferably formed by the provision of a relatively fixed pin or lug I3 secured in and extended through the front-wall of the bar H and terminating centrally within the recess [8 or by the provision of' an equivalent pin or lug formed integrally. with or cemented thin material it may be merely bent-to the curvato the bar It and extending rearwardly therefrom into said recess. lug is arranged to enter a perforation 13 in the sheet material 5 near the upper central edge -portion thereof.

This fixed pin or integral merit memberv 24.

member is shaped substantially to the contour shape of the nasal recess 1 and is provided with The said nose engagement a slot '2- 5;to receive an edge 26 of the shield or lens portion adjacent said nasal recess. The nose engagement member 24 may be detachably secured to the shield or lens portion 6 or removed therefrom by slightly pressing the ends 23 toward each other to clear the; shoulders 22. The nose member 24 may be forn fedof. the samematerials as set-forth for said bar H. The nose engagement member 24= is provided with 'rearwardlyfextending integral pad portion 29, for engaging the opposed sides of the nose of the wearer, it beingunderstood thatthe said pads are suitably'ang'led forv proper andflcomfcrtable' fitw'ith the nose;

It is particularly'pointed out that, theshiel'd or lens portions Biare initially formed of flat sheet material and that when 'detachably secured within the slots 9- and recess Ill of bar II, the said shield or lens portions are curved to fit within said slots 9 and'recess I0 and are retainedsubstantially to said curvature of the slots. and the front surface of the recess; during the use of the device. The said shield or lens portions may be tinted: red, green, orany other desirable color as well as embodying any other absorptive characteristics desired. .f While the support or bar member ll is described as being curved sub stantia-lly to the contour or curvature: .of the face, the said curvatureis also so controlled as to re duce reflection-bf light incident on the shield or lens portion from, a-direction rearwardly of the The support or bar II has its front surface 7 preferably curved substantially to the contour shape or curvature ofthe face of the wearer and is provided with an intermediate or central portion it of increased thickness foraccommodating the recess it and providing a rear surface H for engaging the brow of the wearer when inpo'sition of use, the bar thus being adapted to space the shield or lens portions 6 from the eyes an H are; secured to the lugs IHpreferabIyby-hinge members 2i either formed of the same material and integrally with the temples 20, or formed separately and of metal; in which instance the said ,hinge members would be secured to the temples 28 by rivetsor the like.

of the pins or lugs l4; The major portion of t e The shield or; lens portion; E -may be out, blanked, 1 or otherwise shaped to the contour. shape desired from sheet. material havingthe. proper characteristics required. ln instanc es when the shield or lens portion-t is; formed of relatively ture ofthe bar through the securing thereof within the slots e andrecess Hl with the-barif being solely depended; upon: for retaining the shield or lens tothe desired curvature, In instances when the shield or lens is formedof relati-vely thiclzfmaterial the said lens isfpreferably formed and set, as byheat andpressure, substantially to the said. curvature and is then inserted within the slots or seats Ifi andarecess 10, In

this latter instance, the bar l of ,course, aids in retaining. the shieldor; ,lens portio rfi, to said desired curvedshape. I

When, it is desiredto-assemblethe.;parts of; the d v i 1M mama e P}? of the shield or lens portion fiis flexed forwardly. to a slightly sharper curvaturethan: itwould, normally; assume H when in; assembled position so that the opposed lateral or en d edge portions of. the sheet material. 5. may be inserted into the:

'wa l xtending endipqrt iqnsi he o s:-

9 :i t ar- H. ndtha l ts np t ans 7 5 at the opposite ends :o f .tl ;le s hield are then partially engaged ove rthe; bearing ;portions 1 M shieldis at sucl iaa tirnesslightly forward-0t the intermediate part of. thebar-ll and-in order, to bring the [central portion; of; 5 the upper edge 8 of the shield into recess; I

"5 stantially as shown by Fig. 5 and may then have its upper central portion moved or pressed rearwardly under. the adjacent portion of the bar II and into the recess I rearwardly of the pin [3, this being effected by a combined sliding and pivoting action of the upper outer corners of the shield 6 in engagement with the slotted ends of the bar as the perforations l in the shield slip into complete engagement with the bearing surfaces l4 and adjacent parts of theedge 8 slide into the slots 9. When the upper edge 8 is completely within the slots 9 and recess l0, perforation I3" will slip over the end of the pin or lug I3 and the inherent resiliency of the sheet material will spring the upper edge 8 from the dotted position 30 into its normal assembled position shown by full lines in Fig. 2.

The nose member 24 is subsequently engaged with the shield 6 by first slightly. fiexing the lower ends 23 thereof toward each other to clear the shouldered portions 22 on the lower edge of the shield as the edge 26' is brought into engagement with the slot formed in the nose engagement member 24. When the ends 23 are released they inherently spring outwardly and firmly engage the shoulders 22. It will also be apparent that the bar ll, shield 6 and nose engagement member 24 may as easily be disassembled if desired, such as when desiring to change shields having different light transmitting properties, or when replacing a scratched or damaged shield by a new shield.

A slightly modified form of eye protection device is shown partially in Fig. 6 and embodies a shield or lens portion E, generally similar to the shield 6 of Fig. 1, but having one of its slotted end portions provided with an elongated slot 3| for slidably receiving a relatively fixed pin 32 mounted in the bar H. bar H" for receiving the upper edge portion of the shield 6' is provided adjacent its outer end with a free space 33 for receiving the shield in a manner which will now be described. The bar I I and the shield 6 are shown in their assembled position and when it is desired to detach the shield from the bar the central portion of the shield is flexed rearwardly sufiiciently to free the aperture l3 therein from the pin l3, such action being similar to that employed for detaching the shield 6 as previously described. However, instead of then using a flexing, pivoting and sliding action to disengage the upper edge and opposite ends of the shield from the bar, the shield 6 is moved or shifted slightly laterally relative to the bar ll until the end containing the elongated slot 3| occupies the free space 33,

and when this occurs the opposite slotted end of the shield will be clear of the associated fixed pin in the bar and may be moved downwardly and out of engagement with the bar H. For assembling the shield 6 in the bar or support H a reverse procedure may be followed.

Ordinarily, the bar and endpieces, and likewise the nose bearing portion, will be formed as integral members by an injection molding process. The shield or lens portion may be treated with suitable dyes or the like for producing the required absorptive characteristics, color, etc. The bar portion and nose member may be colored to produce any desired effect by brushing or spraying a suitable dye or the like thereon.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple, eflicient, and economical means have been provided for accomplishing all the objects and advantages of the invention.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. An ophthalmic device of the character'der scribed comprising a bar-like member of relatively stiff material having a front surface curved substantially to the contour of'theface of the wearer and having an integral intermediate portion of increased thickness for engaging the wearers brow, said bar-like member A groove 9' in the having a recess extending longitudinally thereof and having temple connection'mea-ns adjacent the opposed ends thereof, a shield-like lens engaged in said recess throughout the major portion of its upper contour edge and having an aperture formed therein, a rear wardly extending relatively fixed lug in said recess extending into said aperture, a slot in said shield-like lens in laterally spaced relation to said aperture, a relatively .fixed member carried by said bar-like member and engaging said slot in said shield-like lens for detachably securing said lens in said memberpand a nasal recess in the lower edge of said shield-like lens.

2. An ophthalmic device of the character described comprisinga bar-like member of relatively stiff material having a front surface curved substantially to the contour of the face of the wearer and having an attachment seat formed therein and extending longitudinally thereof, said bar-like member having temple attachment means adjacent the opposed ends thereof, a shield-like lens having its upper edge detachably secured in said seat, the means for securing said shield-like lens in said seat comprising a relatively fixed lug extending from said bar-like member and passing through an aperture in the shield-like lens and a second relatively fixed lug carried by said bar and spaced laterally from said first lug and detachably engaging a slot in said shie1d-like lens, and a nasal recess in the lower edge of said shieldlike lens.

3. An ophthalmic device of the character described comprising a bar-like member of relatively stiff plastic material-having a front surface curved substantially to the contourof the face of the wearer and having a recess forming an attachment seat provided therein and extending longitudinally thereof, said bar-like member having temple attachment means adjacent the opposed ends thereof and having brow engagement means upon its rear surface intermediate said ends, a shield-like lens having its upper edge extending into and detachably secured by suitable means in said recess, the means for securing said shield-like lensin said recess comprising a relatively fixed lug extending from said bar-like member into said recess and passing through an aperture in the shield-like lens and relatively fixed means spaced laterally from said lug and engaging in slots in the peripheral edge of said. shield-like lens, and a nasal recess in the lower edge of said shield-like lens, said shield-like lens being curved and maintained substantially to said front surface curvature of said bar-like member.

4. An ophthalmic device of the character described comprising a bar-like member of rela- "7 sheet material having its upper edge portion fitting within said longitudinal recess and having a nasal recess in the lower edge thereof, said sheet-like lens, when in operative relation with said bar-like member, conforming substantially to the front surface curvature of said bar-like member, and means for detachably securing said sheet-like lens in said longitudinal recess comprising a normally fixed lug upon anintermediate portion of said bar-like member and extending rearwardly in said recess and an aperture in said lens receiving said lug, said means also comprising slots in said "lens in laterally spaced relation to said aperture and normally fixed pins carried by said bar-like member for releasably engaging said slots for securing said lens and bar-like member in operative relation.

.5. An ophthalmic device of the character described comprising a bar-like member of rela- .tively rigid non-metallic material shaped in the general direction of the contour of the face of the wearer and having a relatively thick intermediate portion and tapered relatively thinner ends, temple attachment means of substantially the same material adjacent said opposed ends,

tured portion of the lens and having spaced bearing portions interfitting with the periphally slotted portions of said lens, the inherent resiliency, of the lens releasably maintaining said bearing portions in interfitted relation with the slotted portions of the lens.

6. An ophthalmic mounting of the character described comprising a bar-like member of relatively rigid material shaped in the general direction of the contour of the face of the wearer and having temple attachment means adjacent its opposed ends, said bar-like member having an attachment seat extending in the general direction of the longitudinal axis thereof and a lens of relatively thin resilient sheet'material having its upper portion positioned on the attachment seat of said bar-like member so as to extend downwardly before the eyes, said upper portion of the lens having a centrally disposed apertured portion and spacedperipherally slotted portions, and a substantially normally disposed bearing member carried by the bar-like member extending into the attachment seat and through said aperture portion of the lens,

said bar-like member having bearing surfaces for detachably engaging said slotted portions of the lens for preventing downward movement of said lens when in assembled position, and with the inherent resiliency of said lens serving to releasably, maintain said bearing surfaces of the bar-like member in engaged relation with the slotted portionof the lens.

7. Anophthalmic device of the character described comprising a bar-like member of relativelyrigid plastic materialv having .a front surface shaped substantially to the curvature of the *face of the wearer and having temple attachment means adjacent the opposite ends thereof, brow engagement means on the rear surface of said member intermediate said temple attachment means, a groove and a relatively wider recess in said bar between said surfaces, lens means of flexible sheet material positioned in said groove and recess so as to extend downwardly before the eyes of the wearer, a relatively fixed lug in said recess extending through an aperture in said lens means, a laterally disposed slot in said lens means spaced laterally from said aperture, and a bearing surface carried by said bar-like member in said groove for detachably engaging said slot, said recess being of such a width as to allow the lens means adjacent said lug to be flexed sufilciently to be disengaged from said lug so that the lens means maybe moved laterally relative to said bar-like member when the lens is being disconnected fromsaid bar-like member.

8. An ophthalmic device of the character described comprising a bar-like member of relatively stifi material having a front surface curved substantially to the contour of the face of the wearer and having an attachment seat formed therein and extending longitudinally thereof, said bar-like member having temple attachment means adjacent the opposed ends thereof, a thin resilient shield member having its upper edge detachably secured in said seat, the means for securing said shield member in said seat comprising a recess formed adjacent each end of one ofsaid members and a bearing portion formed adjacent each of the opposed ends of the other of said members and shaped to extend within the respective recesses of said first member, said shieldmember having a centrally disposed apertured portion adjacent its up-per edge and a substantially normally dis- E W RD-M. senAINEI REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

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